Keyed zither.



F. X. AUDET, DECD.

M- F- AUDET, ADMIN ISTRATRIX.

KEYED ZITHER. APPLICATION FILED JULY H. I913- Patented Nov. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- WITN E55 ES INVENTD R Wfi/fi/Ii" I awoa/it cd nnrrsn STATES earns orrron FRANCIS X. AUDET, OF NEW YQRK, N. MARY l. AUIDET, ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID FRANCIS X. AUDET, DECEASED, ASSIGNGR TO THE PHQNOHARP CDMPANY, OF EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

KEYED ZITHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnanors X. AUnnT, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the. county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Keyed Zithers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to keyed Zithers, and its object is to provide playing devices whereby the playing of the instrument is facilitated.

The playing devicesinclude, in the present instance, spring hammers for striking the strings, each said hammer including a spring shank and a striker head carried thereby. I have combined with such spring hammers playing keys and dan'ipers or muting devices. I have arranged the play ing keys according to the arrangement of the keys of a piano'forte, which are arranged in two series, those for the flats or sharps being arranged in one series, and those for the naturals being arranged in another series. In order to compensate for the difference in arrangement between the two series of keys I have arranged the spring hammers in two series and have made other com: .pe'nsatory provisions, to obtain uniformity of action and uniformity as to the volume and quality of the tones produced thereby.

The dampers or muting devices are carried by spring arms, which in turn are carried by the spring shanks of the playing hammers, theflexibility of said arms enabling the traverse of the muting devices 40 to be short in comparison to that of the hammers. T he muting devices are arranged to engage the opposite side of the strings with reference to the striker heads. A combination. including the arms that carry the 5 muting devices, and stops for arresting the striking movement of the hammer shanks enables the shanks to vibrate without being affected by the arresting of the muting devices in their retractory movement as the hammers are moved toward the strings.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnted N 13, 1917.

Application filed July 14, 1913. Serial No. 779,031.

In the accompanying drawings which show a stringed musical instrument of the zit-her type embodying what is now considered the preferred form of the present invention, Figure l is a top plan view of the instrument, and Fig. 2 is a transverse section" on line XX, Fig. 1, looking toward the right; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the hammers and actuating keys; Fl 4 is a top plan view of the same; and Figs. 5 and 6 show one of the bridges in enlarged end and front views respectively.

The instrument shown in the drawings comprises the usual end frame pieces 1 and 2, pper sounding board 3, braces 4:, lower sounding board 5, and tuning pins 6. The strings are arranged in two portions or tio'ns, one portion or section 7, hereinafter called the melody section, having its strings 8, 8 arranged in single plane and tuned for playing the airor melody, and the other. section 9, called the accompaniment section, being provided with strings arranged in two intersecting planes (see Fig. 2) tuned in chord relation for playing the accompaniment. In the preferred construction as shown in the drawings, the strings in, the melody section are tuned in the chromatic scale, a pair of strings tuned to each note beingprovided to give the desired volume and quality of tone. In the accompaniment section the bass strings 10 are located in one of the intersecting planes, while the chord strings 11 are located in the other of the intersecting planes. Formerly the melody was played by plucln ing or striking the appropriate strings in the melodv section with a pick or other device held in the hand, and considerable skill was required of the performer to do this with accuracy and celerity. Recently, in order to overcome this feature of disadvantage in the prior instruments, a series of hammers for striking the strings have been provided,arranged to be actuated directly by the fingers of the performer or through the medium of keys. Such devices, however, have been of crude construction and unsatisfactory action, and have resulted in a limitation of the range or scope of the instrument, or a substantial increase in its size.

The present invention overcomes these oh jections by providing string-actuating devices for the instrument which are of simple and compact construction and of easy action whereby the range and scope of the instrument has been increased and the character and quality of the tone greatly improved. Preferably, resilient or spring hammers are employed whereby with one actuation a plurality of blows may be struck upon the strings, giving a tremolo effect. Actuating devices for the hammers are also used in the preferred construction, such devices comprising keys similar to the keys of the common pianoforte.

In the specific embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings the hammers comprise resilient shanks 15 secured at one end to the fixed support 16 and car rying at their free end the striker head 17 of substantially greater width than the double string 8, 8, toinsure contact with both strings when the shank of the hammer is depressed. To avoid increasing the size of the instrument or decreasing its range or capacity, and also for the purpose of employing actuating keys set in the ordinary pianoforte arrangement and obtaining sub stantially the same action for both rows of keys, these hammers are arranged in staggered relation in two series 18 and 1.9, the hammers of series 18 which strike the strings tuned to sharps and flats being located in vertical registration with the spaces between adjacent hammers in series 19 which strike the strings tuned to naturals.

In order to permit the hammer to vibrate when it is depressed and thus strike the string a plurality of blows, producing a tremolo effect, a stop 22 is provided on the support which carries the hammers, this stop in the preferred embodiment consisting of felt or similar yielding material. Preferably, a second stop 23 of similar material is provided which is located on the support intermediate the first stop and the point of attachment of the hammer. The purpose of this intermediate stop is to prevent ob jectionable vibration between stop 22 and the point of attachment of the hammer which might interfere with the proper action of the free end of the hammer. In playing the instrument, when both stops are provided, the spring shank 15 engages the stop 23 first, and then engages the stop 22. For the purpose of giving the hammers of both series the same effective vibration length, the line of the stops 22 for the hammers of series 18 is offset with relation to the line of the stops for the hammers of series 19 substantially the same distance that the heads of hammers in series 18 are offset from the heads of the hammers in series 19.

To permit the hammers of series 19 to be actuated without interference with the hammers of series 18, a clip or extension member 24 is attached to the shank of each of the hammers of series 19 at a point opposite the stop 22, the upper surface of said members 25 projecting above the shanks of the hammers of series 18 when the hammers of series 19 are depressed. A similar but shorter extension member 25 is secured to the shanks of the hammers in series 18.

llhile the above described construction may be used without playing keys, the performer in such case depressing the hammers by direct engagement of his fingers with the members 2% and 25' on the hammer shanks, I have shown playing keys pivoted at one end at 28 and 29 and engaging at their free ends these members 2%: and 25 secured to the shanks of the hammers. These keys are set in the common pianoforte arrangement, the keys 26 for actuating the hammers in series 19 which strike the strings tuned to naturals being white and set in advance, or nearer to the performer than the keys 27, which are colored blac and which actuate the keys tuned to sharps. To avoid excessive sliding action of the keys on the members 2% and 25, the pivots 28, 29 are arranged between the plane of the strings and the parallel plane to which the hammer heads are normally retracted. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention these pivots 28 and 29 are as near as may be convenient to the points at which the shanks 15 are anchored to the support 16.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention means are provided for muting the strings when it is desired that the tone or note shall cease, such means comprising muting devices arranged to be held out of contact with the string to permit the latter to sound, and to be held in contact with the string to stop the string from sounding. In the construction illustrated in the drawing these devices comprise the spring arms each secured at one end 33 to a hammer shank and extending beneath the hammer and between the pair of strings, and having its free end 34 substantially parallel with the strings, and carrying a head of felt, rubber tubing or other similar material to contact with the strings and stop their vibration. The muting device is so arranged that when the hammer is in its raised position the head 35 will be held in contact with the bottoms of both strings, the extent of upward movement of the hammers under the action of the resilient shanks 15 being limited thereby. lVhen the hammer is depressed to sound a string the head of the mute will be movedfdownwardly away from the strings and may, if desired,

contact with the sounding board, remaining 'chord strings at the line of intersection of the planes, the chord strings and appropriate basses being grouped together so that this may be done. .1

Heretofore strings have been arranged in intersecting planes by means of a pair of bridges of different heights at each end of the sounding-board of the instrument. Such a construction, however, has been found objectionable for several reasons, among others that the difference in height between the two bridges at the same end of the instrument was limited-in practice owing'to the excessive strain putupon the instrument by each slight increase in height of the bridge. As a result the planes of the strings were necessarily nearly coincident, that is, their angle of intersection was small, and it was found necessary to strike thestrings of each plane at so great a distance from the line of intersection that it required the movement of the hand from one side of said line to the other. Furthermore, the volume of tone emitted from strings so arranged was limited and the quality of tone was inferior owing to the fact that the bridges for supporting these strings were at the extreme ends of the sounding board and directly over the end frame pieces, the tension on the strings being so great that the use of a bridge resting upon the sounding board was absolutely prohibited.

In the specific embodiment of the present invention an intermediate bridge is employed having oppositely disposed stringengaging faces, the strings of one plane passing over the upper surface of the bridge and tending to force the latter toward the sounding board, while the strings of the other plane pass beneath the lower surface of the bridge and tend to force the bridge away from the sounding board. By a proper arrangement of the strings upon theopposite sides of the bridge the downward pressure on the bridge may be counteracted to any desired extent, being exactly balanced, if desired, the bridge then being what may be termed a floating bridge, without being in contact withthe sounding board. In the preferred construction, however, there will be an excess of downward pressure sufficient to hold the bridge firmly against the soundplanes of the accompaniment strings. selection of proper heights for these bridges this line of intersection may be placed at the ingboard yet without danger of crushing the same. The vibrations of the strings are thus transmitted directly through the bridge to the sounding board, thereby greatly in creasing the amplitude of vibration of the 1 1atter,'w1th a corresponding lncrease 1n the volume of tone, and with a superior quality of tone. p

This improved form of bridge is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and comprises a body portion 38 having a string-engaging upper surface 39 having a bridge, wire 40 and provided at its lower surfacewith a slot 41 in the top ofwhich is located the bridge wire 42, and also having the transverse string-receiving slots43, the downwardly PIOJQCtlHg portions of the bridge between the longitudinal and transverse slots forming supporting feet to rest upon the sounding board of the instrument; The bass strings 10 are arranged to I pass under the lower surface of the bridge,

while the chord stringsll pass over theupper surface, and since there are twice as many chord strings as bass strings, although the basses are under heavier tension, the eX- vcess of downward pressure is sufficient to 'hold the bridge with the desired firmness against the sounding board. a

, Since th1s lntermedlate or counterbalanced bridge may be made of much greater height.

than the prior form of bridges, the angle of intersection of the planes of the accompaniment strings may be increased to such an extent that the performer may pluck or strike a bass string with his thumb and the chord stringswith his finger, without moving his hand, a feature of very decided importance, especially when the chord strings are tuned as above described to major and minor thirds alternately. If it is desired to still further increase the angle of intersection of the planes of strings or to avoid the use of an intermediate bridge of excessive height, two similar bridges may be employed,

onenear each end of the instrument. It will be noted that the height of the intermediate bridge and its relation with respect to the bridge at the opposite end of the instrument determines the point of intersection of the By mostconvenient point for the performer.

The mannerof use and mode of operation of the instrument forming the subject of the present invention have already been sufliciently set forth in the foregoing descrip tion, and need not, therefore, be here repeated. It is to be understood that while the hammers with'one series overlapping another series, and each hammer of one series ment being essential except as set forth in the claims Having thus described the present invention, and the manner of its use, What I claim 1S:

1. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, spring hammers, and means for supporting the hammers in a plurality of overlapping series, substantially as described.

2. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, a plurality of series of spring hammers, and means for supporting the located between hammers of another series,

substantially as described.

3. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, a plurality of series of spring supporting the hammers in a plurality of "superposed series, and means for actuating the hammers in any series Without interfer- Q with the hammers in another series, ibstantially as described.

5. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, spring hammers, means for supporting the same in a plurality of superposed series and means for actuating the hammers comprising members secured to the hammers in one series and projecting beyond the hammers in another series Whereby the hammers of the first mentioned series may be actuated Without actuating the hammers in the last mentioned series, substantially as described. p

6. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same in substantially the same plane, spring hammers, and means for supporting the hammers normally in inclined relation to the plane of the strings, said hammers being arranged in staggered relation in a plurality of series, substantially as described.

7. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same in substantially the same plane, spring hammers, and means for supporting the hammers in a plurality of overlapping series in substantially parallel planes inclined to the plane of the strings, substantially as described.

substantially as described.

to strike the string, scribed.

the same, spring hammers for striking the strings, asupport to which one end of each hammer is attached, and a plurality of stops to be engaged by the spring hammer when the latter is depressed to strike thestring,

9. A musical instrument, havin in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, spring hammers for striking the strings, a support to which one end of each hammer is attached, and a plurality of stops to be engaged progressively by each hammer frcm the support toward the free end of the hammer when the latter is depressed substantially as de- 10. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, a plurality of hammers each comprising a striker head and a spring shank, and a stop for each said shank, said hammers being arranged in staggered relation in a plurality of series, and said stops being arranged in staggered relation in a like number of series, to cause uniform action of said hammers, substantially as described.

11. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, a plurality of hammers each comprising a striker head and a spring shank, a stop for each said shank, and devices for actuating the spring hammers, each said device comprising an element arranged to contact with said stop when the hammer is in striking position, substantially as described.

12. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, spring hammers, a support to which the hammers are secured, and pivoted keys for actuating the hammers, the pivotal point of each key being between the plane 'of said strings and the parallel plane to which the head of the hammer is retractable, substantially as described.

' 13. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings and means for supporting the same, spring hammers arranged in overlapping series, and keys pivoted at one end, the free ends of the keys actuating the hammers, and the keys set in chromatic pianoforte arrangement, substantially as described.

14. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings, hammers for striking the latter, spring arms carried by said hammers, and muting devices carried by said spring arms, substantially as described.

15. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings, hammers provided with resilient shanks, and muting devices comprising string-engaging members secured to the resilient shanks of the hammers, substantially as described.

16. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings, spring shanks, striker heads carried by said spring shanks, and muting devices carried by said spring shanks, substantially as described.

17. A musical instrument, having, in combination, strings, hammers each comprising a spring shank and a striker head secured to Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latentl,

to the shank adjacent the point of contact 15 with the abutment, substantially as described.

FRANCIS X. AUDET.

Witnesses:

ALFRED H. HILDRETH, GEO. E. SrEBnrNs.

Washington, D. G. 

